


Sky full of song

by Jeka



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Fluff and Angst, Hopeful Ending, M/M, Post-Break Up, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Has A Heart, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2020-03-14 16:02:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18951406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jeka/pseuds/Jeka
Summary: Steve keeps tabs on Tony while on the run after the events of the so called Civil War.He does it like a way to deal with his absence but like every time since he met him, Tony may surprise him.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This is set after Captain America Civil War because I have always found fascinating the time they were apart. Of course it was painful as Hell too...Also this is my first fanfic ever, so be kind to me and sorry about the mistakes, I have to study for a test but instead I wrote this. No beta (As you'll probably see)





	Sky full of song

Steve is doing honor to his new unhealthy coping mechanism.

Since the _Civil War,_ that being the way media is calling the fall between the Avengers, which ended up with Steve and the rogues, another cute name the press lovingly bestowed upon them, leaving New York and running away. Leaving Tony, the love of his life, beaten down and with a broken suit in the middle of a cold floor in Siberia.

He cannot allow himself to go there or he'll come running back to New York.

Steve is on the run, but it doesn't stop him from trying to help people with Sam and Natasha.

However, whenever he can, he watches the news for any Tony related article or video.

Right now, after a gruesome mission, Sam is sleep in one of the beds and Natasha is cleaning some superficial cuts on her forearm. Steve decides to give them the beds altogether, instead sitting on the floor, zapping channels until a beloved figure appears. Natasha makes a disapproving noise but Steve chooses to ignore it.

Tony is making his way across a sea of reporters, dodging microphones and using Happy's body to avoid getting trap in the mob. He looks healthy and that sooths a burning feeling inside Steve’s chest. His hair disheveled but styled in a unique Tony way. The goatee perfectly trimmed and the gray suit is doing wonders for his strong shoulders, slim waist and muscled legs. Whoever thinks Tony doesn’t work out to pilot the Iron man suit is an idiot.

Steve should be there, walking side by side, his hand on Tony’s lower back, guiding him to the car, so they can go home, get comfy and just relax in their couch. He can almost feel Tony cradled on his chest, his fingers running slowly through his curls…

Steve's so caught up on his partner, drinking him in as a man lost among a desert would drink a glass of water, that he doesn't notice the little kid waving through the same crowd, trying to reach Tony until everything goes badly. He is small, seven years old top, and he is doing fine until he gets trap between the screaming adults.

Steve stands up when the kid cries out in pain and watches impotent how they keep hustling him. Tony turns at the sound and zeros in on the little figure. He immediately starts pushing people none too gently, roaring orders.

'For God's sake! Move away! You are tramping the kid! God, this is why I hate you, you despicable bast...' His cursing gets lost among the noise of the crowd.

Happy is helping now, pushing men and women alike while Tony reaches for the kid. He grabs his tiny hands between his broader ones and hauls him toward the secure circle of Tony and Happy. The reporters finally move away, more interested now that their target has stopped.

'Hey, buddy, are you okay?' Tony is cleaning the tear tracks across reddish cheeks. He is patting him gently, searching for injuries, and Steve can see the moment he realizes the kid is dressed in a Captain America costume. He is honestly surprised when a twitch on his cheek is all the reaction he shows. 'You were so brave, I almost thought you were the real one, kiddo.' Tony grants him with his honest smile, that one that causes wrinkles to appear around his eyes.

_No, honey, my wrinkles are not beautiful, I feel so old. Stop looking at me like that or I will slap your beautiful and smooth face._

Steve feels as if a ton of rocks left his shoulders. For a couple of seconds he’s not Captain America, former leader of the Avengers and now war criminal. He’s Steve  Rogers, a boy from Brooklyn too big and clumsy for such a fragile world, admiring the beauty of his partner, the impossible Anthony Edward Stark. Breaking Steve to his very essence is the power of the real Tony Stark smile.

'Mr. Iron man' says the kid, audible with the sea of mics around them. 'Is Captain America a bad person?' He asks with a watery voice. He hasn’t shaken off the fear and panic, but he is calming under Tony’s reassuring gaze. Steve has always said that it doesn’t matter if it is made of two slits on an armor faceplate or the big brown eyes of the man beneath it, Tony has the kind of gaze that practically shouts: _Don’t worry, you don't have to know what you are doing, because I know what I’m doing and I got both of us._

Steve feels his heart stop in his chest at the kid’s question. He is both wanting to hear the answer and hating even the possibility of a recording of Tony saying he hates him now out there. He can perceive Natasha watching him in the corner of his eye, but he doesn't turn. He is aware that his very heart is all over his face.

Tony clenches his jaw, but doesn't show other reaction.

'Who told you that?' He inquires back.

The silence is oppressive with the way the reporters have gone muted. All attentive of the millionaire’s answers.

'My brother. He told me important people said he was a criminal.' The kid explains, playing with the straps of his backpack. 'I thought criminals are bad people. Is he?'  
Tony puts a hand on the mass of golden curls in a calming matter.

‘I'm going to tell you a couple of things about the Cap, but it's a secret okay?' Tony begins, mimicking a zip and lock on his lips. The kid nods and leans in.  
Steve always thought Tony would make a wonderful father, with the way he manages to imprint his voice with the exact amount of joking and seriousness to make children comfortable and, at the same time, for them to feel like grown-ups.

'He sometimes went running and came home all sweaty, but he didn't shower right away, so he smelled really bad' Tony confesses, wrinkling his nose. 'You know he is a super soldier? Well, he was super smelly.'

The kid opens his green eyes wide and laughs. Steve feels a little ashamed of it. Tony is kind of throwing him under the bus right now, but if that’s the worst he can say, Steve will cherish all those times he tried to hug Tony the moment he came back from running and his Shellhead had run away, proclaiming he had work to do but to look for him after his shower. And treasure more those where he hugged back fiercely, not caring about the sweat, just sighing that he had missed Steve with muffled words against his skin.

'He's right, you did stink' Natasha adds, a smile on her voice.

'Thanks for that' he grabs her ankle and squishes, smiling back. 

It feels like it has been so long since they really smiled.

Tony doesn't stop there.

'Also, he fell asleep all the time during movie nights.' He keeps going. 'He is so old, buddy, like a grandpa. One minute we were watching Star Wars and the next one he was snoring.' Tony closes his eyes and makes a horrible sound kind of like a broken car, which Steve agrees is a pretty close imitation of his snores. Still, it doesn’t stop the blush. The kid loses it, his small body trembling from laughter.

'He left his shield everywhere. One time I found it in the stove. Can you believe it? What was he doing? Soup of stars?' He throws his hands in the air, clearly baffled.

Steve remembers hearing Tony screeching his name from the kitchen. He had jumped up and ran to him, imagining the worst, only to have found Tony grinning next to his shield, which was actually on top of the stove. The team had teased him for weeks.

'Steve, you should turn that off' Natasha advices, rubbing his back. However, he just shakes his head. This is the most he has seen of Tony since their break up (Were they even broken up? Steve has to think that, hope could be dangerous) and he looks just the way Steve remembers him before all the hurt they did to the other. Kind. Warm. Carefree. The bright and daring face of the future.

The kid is beaming hard, smile ear to ear. Tony hits his forehead, shaking his head.

'I just told you Avengers secrets and I don't even know your name.' He motions for the kid to tell him.

'My name is Leo, Mr. Iron man.'

Tony touches the pats on the costume shoulders, getting a soft look on his face.

'Why am I telling you this, Leo?' He starts, kneeling despite his expensive suit. 'Because Cap is a smelly grandpa who leaves his toys everywhere, but he will never be a bad person, okay?' He states, letting that sink into the kid. ‘Steve Rogers is honest, righteous and has the biggest heart of anyone I've ever met, completely filled with optimism and honor. He is a hero, you got that buddy?’ He continues, ignoring the snapping of cameras and the murmurs of the people. He hasn’t heard Tony saying his name in a long time and he is forcing his mind to memorize it so he can replay it during the hardest days. 'Sometimes the people we care about hurt us. We are humans and even when we try our best, we can make mistakes. Growing up means knowing when we were on the wrong and setting everything right again. Just because someone made a mistake it doesn’t mean they are bad or that we have to stop lo… caring about them' He barely corrects himself, but Steve hears the word despite it. His low voice is useless because reporters surround him; even so, he looks like he forgot about them.

He is clutching the remote so hard it creaks. Tony's words are a balm on all the sore spots in Steve's heart, but it also opens the gaping wound on his chest that leads to where Tony is safely kept. He carries his devotion for him inside, even when wrapped in thorns. It hurts, but his love for that wonderful man has given him strength and kept him warm for years since he was rescued from the ice. Now, glimpsing him elegant and handsome makes his hands tingle with the desire to touch; and listening to his deep confident voice transports him to a bed, hushed voices sharing stories in the middle of the dark, interlocked fingers between their bodies. The blue light of the arc reactor illuminating a wide smile. In this very moment, Steve is hit with a realization: He cannot keep going without Tony for much longer, but he ignores if he'll ever be welcome back.

Tony claps his hands, just as he does when he is struck with an idea.

'Do you fight with your brother?' The kid nods vigorously. 'Well, Avengers fight too, but at the end of the day, we are family.' He has that determinate look on his face which means he has set his mind on something.

Steve misses him so much it physically hurts. He can hear Natasha leaving what she is doing and then subtly wiping a corner of her face with a glove. In his despair, Steve forgets Natasha left her family too. Another thing he will never forgive himself for.

'It'll take time, but the Avengers are something worth fixing.' Tony finishes, looking right at the camera. Maybe right at Steve.

Steve understands him well enough to know when Tony is reaching out for him. He can hear what he is trying to say: _I'll need time, but we can be fixed._

Hope blooms in Steve almost to the point of choking him.

The kid shrugs off Tony's hands and grabs his backpack, opening the zipper and taking out a homemade Captain America stuffed doll. He offers it to Tony.

'I want you to have this.' He explains when Tony just stares at him, still holding out the tiny Cap. 'You can return him to me when your Captain comes back.'

Tony's face freezes for a second, but he takes the doll, cradling so tight that the light of his arc reactor is visible. Steve is actually jealous of a toy.

'Thank you' Tony utters, then puts the toy facing the kid, and does his best Steve Rogers impression, meaning he makes his warm voice go all grave and thoughtful. 'Don't miss me, Leo, I'll come back to you'. Tony lowers the tiny Cap, putting it under his arm. 'Fear not, kiddo, your favorite Avenger will be back before you know it.'

Steve is holding onto the words ‘ _I will come back to you’_. There is nothing Steve wants more than being able to say those words to his Tony.

The kid grants him with puzzled expression.

'But you are my favorite Avenger' He proclaims, gestures at his costume. 'I'm Captain America because he goes next to Iron man; they are the best team inside the Avengers'.

This time Tony looks at the sky, a faint blush in his olive skin. Steve is happy the kid said that to him. Tony needs to hear more people telling him they admire him and care for him.

When is about to be too much time without responding, Tony brushes his hair nervously and looks at the kid. His eyes are a little shiny and has a wobbly smile on his lips.

'Well, it appears I have a perfect back up for my Cap right here, don't I?'

Then the TV goes black, taking Tony away.

Steve startles when Natasha gently pries the remote from his hand. He can see faint lines where he broke the plastic thing. She doesn't say anything, instead choosing to go back to bed, leaving him with his thoughts.

So Steve closes his eyes, soaking in the images of Tony joking, smiling, and acting exactly as his kind, generous and wonderful self. Acting like the man Steve fell for so many years ago.

Steve wants to be there with him. He wants to take the ring of the little black box he stores inside his uniform and put it in Tony's finger. The ring he bought within the first three months of their relationship, knowing very well then it was too soon, but that his future was by that man's side.

Steve might had come from the past, but he had found a new beginning, a present and a future when a man covered in a captivating suit of armor had fallen from the sky next to him in Germany, blasting his music and his repulsors at Loki.

At the end of every day since he was forced to leave, Steve just wants a single thing: To come home.

**Author's Note:**

> What did you think? Did you hate it? Like it? Tell me in the comments, please!  
> Also: This was inspired by how great RDJ is with children. He is amazing.


End file.
